Overview

This bill amends the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to explicitly include sports coaches as individuals holding positions of trust when it comes to child sex offences. This means that sexual activity between a sports coach and a person under 18 they coach will be more easily prosecuted.

Description

The key change introduced by this bill is the addition of "sports coach" to the list of positions of trust within the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This amendment makes it a criminal offence for a sports coach to engage in sexual activity with someone under 18 who they are coaching. The bill defines a "sports coach" as anyone who trains individuals or groups in a sport, or assists in such training.

The amendment is added to section 21 of the Act and further clarifies the definition of “sports coach” in section 22(5). The bill applies only to England and Wales and will come into force four weeks after it receives Royal Assent.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The main costs will likely be associated with increased prosecution and potential legal processes resulting from the new definition.

Groups Affected

The bill directly affects:

• Sports coaches: They will face increased legal risk if they engage in sexual activity with individuals under 18 they are coaching.
• Young people (under 18): The bill aims to enhance their protection from sexual abuse within the sporting context.
• Sporting organizations: These organizations may face increased responsibility for ensuring the safety of young people in their programs and may need to implement safeguarding policies.
• The criminal justice system: This will likely see increased caseloads related to child sex offences involving sports coaches.

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